With the hockey season quickly approaching, some Terrace players have already hit the ice to hone their skills.
The Infinite Ice Terrace Hockey School, founded and guided by professional hockey coach Josh McEwan and his brother James McEwan, ran their first-ever holistic hockey program in Terrace this past week from Aug. 18 to 24.
The two brothers, who have both grown up in Terrace playing hockey, and their co-partner Jens Kieling decided to start the program after realizing there aren’t many opportunities in the Northwest for players to pursue hockey at an advanced level. They wanted to offer alternative training that not only focused on technique but included meditation and yoga to help athletes build a stronger sense of self.
“From my experience playing and seeing the highs and the lows that hockey has to offer, it’s been a great experience to come back and deliver things that I didn’t have growing up like yoga and meditation that I learned later in my career to heal from injuries… the sooner they can get it, the better it’s going to affect their lives,” says James, now living in Kelowna.
“These hockey players, a lot of times are looked at as leaders in the community wherever they go, and so we want to develop compassionate warriors, compassionate leaders in the community.”
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He says they had approximately 50 players sign up for the program and given the positive feedback they’ve received, are eager to return next year. For him and his brother, it was a humbling experience to return to their hometown for a visit and be reminded of the strong community spirit.
“Terrace is such a small town, it makes me feel emotional speaking about it because it’s so interesting how close everyone bonds together,” he says. “If we can come in and be an influence to expand that community aura, bond and unity — I’m just really grateful to be a part of that.”
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The Infinite Ice Terrace Hockey School will hold their program in Terrace again in August 2020 at the Sportsplex Arena.
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